On my way into work today, I was thinking about how the LDS Church differs from other Christian faiths. There are a number of ways you can approach that topic but I think a lot (if not all) of it boils down to your view of one simple question: "Are the heavens still open?" The LDS response to that question is a resounding "yes" and most other Christian faiths (at least the ones that I know about) resoundingly disagree. If you answer in the affirmative, you are willing to accept modern prophets and continuing revelation, an open canon of scripture, and a view of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as separate persons, three divine beings. If not, you will view these beliefs as sacreligious and non-Christian.
Just one quick observation after a long weekend. It's possible I'm overstating or misrepresenting the view of other Christian faiths. If so, please let me know. Also, I think it's important to point out the many things the LDS Church has in common with other Christian faiths, including a deep love for our Savior Jesus Christ and for the Holy Bible. So, independent of your opinion regarding the heavens being open or closed, there is a lot of common ground that we should keep in mind.
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One answer to your question comes straight from the mouth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew below. You do bring up some very interesting points and something I have also been thinking about these past few weeks in church. In our review of the BOM--for me it is my third time--I am compelled to dig deeper into the relationship between the Jews of the OT and Jews led by the prophet Lehi. Lehi, like Abraham, was hand picked by the Lord to lead a chosen people into a new land with the promise of reestablishing a covenant with God. If you want to talk about something incredibly revealing and different about Mormon Christianity, it is the fact that Jesus and the Atonement are spelled out very clearly almost 600 years before the actual event takes place. Moreover, the prophet Nephi talks about the rapture in Christianity and refers to the Bible even before this great work of literature is written. These are just a few examples I can bring up that point to the differences in LDS Theology versus Nicean Creed Christianity. While you are correct in identifying the fundamental similarity in that all Christians believe in Jesus Christ, the differences (those you speak about)do create a chasm that is almost impossible to cross.
Anyway, here is what Jesus says in the 24 chapter of the Gospel of Matthew: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 † Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels witha a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
I do have a question to ask you. Why is it that most members of the LDS faith put more emphasis on the BOM than the Bible? Are these two works of literature the Word of God? And if they are, then why would God create two versions? Again, I'm just wondering what your views on this are?
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